Maine Central Railroad

Maine Central Railroad
Company type	Railroad
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1856; 170 years ago
Defunct	1981
Fate	Acquired by Guilford Transportation Industries
Headquarters	Portland, Maine, United States
Area served	Central and southern Maine, Vermont, Quebec, New Brunswick
Products	Freight and passenger rail transport
Number of employees	2000 (1915)

The Maine Central Railroad was a major U.S. class 1 railroad predominantly serving central and southern regions of Maine. Founded by charter in 1856 and beginning service in 1862, it had become the longest railroad in New England by 1884. During its peak operation under the United States Railroad Administration in 1917, Maine Central managed roughly of track.

Its principal route extended from South Portland, Maine eastward to the Canada–United States border adjoining New Brunswick, with a western Mountain Division stretching from Portland, Maine to St. Johnsbury, Vermont and further into Quebec. The line featured double tracks between South Portland and Royal Junction, where it divided into two branches that rejoined at Waterville, then continued as a single track toward Bangor and beyond. Numerous branch lines served vital industrial hubs such as Rumford, recreational areas like Moosehead Lake, and coastal towns ranging from Bath to Eastport.

By 1970, the railroad operated of road over of track, generating 950 million ton-miles of freight revenue that year. Maine Central remained an independent entity until its 1981 acquisition by Guilford Transportation Industries, which subsequently integrated into the CSX Corporation system.

Formation and Early Years

The Maine Central was formed in 1862 through the consolidation of the Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad and the Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad, establishing a continuous line from Danville (now Auburn) to Bangor. This connection linked with the Grand Trunk Railway at Danville and the Bangor and Piscataquis Railroad in Bangor. Initially, operations utilized a track gauge of , often referred to as "Canadian" or "Portland gauge" due to its compatibility with the Grand Trunk system.

Growth and Network Expansion

The acquisition of the Portland and Kennebec Railroad, which ran from Portland to Augusta on standard gauge track, enabled Maine Central to establish interchange with the Boston and Maine Railroad. By 1871, the entire network was converted to standard gauge to facilitate better connectivity.

In 1871, Maine Central leased the 33-mile Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad (B&ML), operating it as its "Belfast Branch" for over five decades. However, after incurring a net loss of $113,230 in 1924, MEC opted not to renew the lease post-1925. Subsequently, B&ML resumed independent operations while maintaining freight interchange arrangements until 2002.

The year 1882 saw Maine Central leasing the European and North American Railway (E&NA) segment between Bangor and Vanceboro. By 1889, the Canadian Pacific Railway obtained trackage rights on E&NA’s stretch from Mattawamkeag to Vanceboro, integrating this route into its Montreal-Saint John mainline. This corridor played a crucial role in transporting Canadian war materials during World War I. Notably, prior to U.S. involvement in the war, a German sabotage attempt targeted the Saint Croix River international bridge along this line.

With the 1888 lease of the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, MEC extended its reach through New Hampshire’s White Mountains into Vermont, connecting with Canadian Pacific routes. The company also managed coastal lines from Bangor to Calais with branches serving important ports including Bar Harbor and Eastport. Additionally, MEC acquired controlling stock interests in narrow gauge railroads such as the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad (1911) and the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad (1912).

By 1917, during World War I nationalization under the United States Railroad Administration, Maine Central’s system encompassed over , linking eastern Maine ports with Vermont and Quebec. The company also diversified operations into resort services and coastal steamship transportation.

Maine Central’s chief locomotive and rolling stock repair shops were located in Waterville, Maine. After outgrowing earlier facilities by the 1880s, new modern shops were constructed along the Kennebec River by 1915. These facilities employed approximately 2,000 workers, reflecting substantial investment in maintenance infrastructure essential for supporting expanding operations.

Timeline

In 1862, the consolidation of the Androscoggin & Kennebec with the Penobscot & Kennebec established a Portland gauge mainline for the Maine Central Railroad, extending from Danville Junction to Bangor.
The Foxcroft branch was leased by Maine Central in 1869.
By 1870, Maine Central had leased the rival standard gauge Portland & Kennebec Railroad running between Portland and Skowhegan, designating it as the "lower road" mainline and Skowhegan branch; that same year, the "back road" mainline was finished from Royal Junction to Danville Junction.
In 1871, leases were secured by Maine Central for the Belfast branch, along with the Farmington branch and Lewiston branch.
The year 1882 saw Maine Central leasing the European and North American Railway, operating it as the Eastern Division mainline from Bangor to Vanceboro, while also acquiring majority ownership in Maine’s coastal steamboat services.
The Bucksport Branch came under lease by Maine Central in 1883.
In 1884, the lease of the Bar Harbor branch was added to its portfolio.
The same year 1888 marked two milestones: Maine Central leased the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, which became known as the Mountain Division, stretching from Portland to Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, and the opening of Portland Union Station.
By 1890, the company had leased the Quebec Division.
The following year, 1891, brought leasing of the Rockland Branch.
In 1904, majority stock control was obtained for the Calais Branch.
Two years later in 1907, leases included the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway, covering both the Livermore Falls and Rangeley branches; that year also saw the inauguration of Bangor Union Station.
The Harmony branch (Sebasticook and Moosehead Railroad) was leased in 1910.
In 1911, acquisitions included purchase of the Kineo House and Kineo branch; additionally, the formation of the Portland Terminal Company took place alongside gaining majority ownership of the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad.
The subsequent year, 1912, involved acquiring majority stock control of the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad as well as purchasing Rockland’s Samoset Hotel.

Contraction

Following World War I, Maine Central began scaling back its operations by divesting or discontinuing narrow gauge railroads, logging spurs, hotel properties, ferry services, and steamship lines. During the 1930s, a transition from steam-powered locomotives to diesel engines was undertaken. Starting in 1933, a joint management arrangement with Boston and Maine Railroad commenced, jointly overseeing operations of the Portland Terminal Company.

Confronted by growing competition from automobiles, trucks, and buses, Maine Central ran its final passenger train on September 5, 1960. Subsequently, freight services were curtailed to better reflect evolving transportation demands.

Guilford Era

In 1980, ownership transferred to U.S. Filter Corporation, which then sold it in 1981 to Guilford Transportation Industries. Guilford expanded its holdings by acquiring the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1983 followed by the purchase of the Delaware and Hudson Railway in 1984. Initially maintaining an integrated system allowed through traffic between central Maine and Boston. However, by the mid-1980s Guilford streamlined operations by removing approximately one-third of Maine Central’s track mileage. This included abandonment of significant lines such as the "Mountain Division," "Rockland Branch," "Calais Branch," and "Lower Road." Management restructuring and wage adjustments led to a major labor strike in 1986. During this period, headquarters were relocated from Portland to North Billerica, Massachusetts.

One contentious labor issue stemmed from a corporate restructuring involving a short track segment between Calais and Woodland, servicing a pulp mill. This line connected with North American rail networks via the Canadian Pacific Railway at St. Stephen, New Brunswick, traversing territory within New Brunswick. To sidestep union contracts, Guilford leased this segment to its Boston & Maine subsidiary—the Springfield Terminal Railway—taking advantage of differing regulations applicable to shortline railroads. Such reorganizations extended throughout Guilford’s network and contributed significantly to prolonged union disputes.

Guilford’s primary locomotive maintenance facilities continue to operate out of former Maine Central shops located in Waterville. During the early 1990s era, full "Maine Central" branding on locomotives was phased out in favor of "Guilford Rail System" logos accompanied by small "MEC" reporting marks.

On November 1, 2003, operations of state-owned former Maine Central routes—the "Lower Road" main line along with Rockland Branch—were assumed by the Morristown and Erie Railway (M&E), which runs them as the Maine Eastern Railroad, supported substantially by state Department of Transportation funding. Previous operators included both Safe Handling and the Maine Coast Railroad. Preservation organizations are actively pursuing restoration efforts for state-owned Calais Branch and Mountain Division corridors aimed at reestablishing short line or tourist railroad service.

Pan Am Railways and CSX

In March 2006, Guilford Transportation Industries adopted the name Pan Am Railways (PAR), building on its earlier acquisition of the Pan American World Airways trademark in 1998. PAR refreshed its locomotive fleet with the distinctive sky-blue livery associated with Pan Am. The year 2022 saw the purchase of Pan Am Railways by CSX Corporation, significantly broadening CSX's presence throughout the Northeastern United States.

Passenger operations

During the early 1900s, MEC passenger services, marketed under the moniker "M.C. R.R.," played a vital role in supporting the booming sporting camp industry by ferrying passengers from major urban centers such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia to recreational areas in Maine. Operating out of Portland's Union Station, MEC maintained routes extending to Bangor (via Lewiston and Augusta), Rockland, Calais (through Ellsworth), Farmington, and Montreal (via North Conway).

Among the prominent named trains prior to the cessation of passenger service in 1960 were the Bar Harbor Express, Down Easter, Flying Yankee, Gull, Katahdin, Kennebec, Mountaineer, Penobscot, Pine Tree, and Skipper. The historic "Down Easter" title was later revived by Amtrak’s Downeaster service, inaugurated in 2001 to connect Boston and Brunswick.

Current operations

Abandoned

Mountain Division
Rockland Branch (owned by MaineDOT, leased to Canadian Pacific Railway)
Kineo Branch
Calais Branch
Bucksport Branch

Preserved Trackage

The Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX), a heritage railway headquartered in North Conway, New Hampshire, is under the ownership of Profile Mountain Holdings Corp. It operates two historic lines: one from North Conway to Conway, formerly part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Conway Branch, and another stretching from North Conway through Crawford Notch to Fabyan, which once belonged to the Maine Central Railroad's Mountain Division. While Conway Scenic holds ownership of the Conway route, the Mountain Division track remains state property.

External links

BMLRR.com – Illustrated history of the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad operated by MEC (1871–1926) as its Belfast Branch